I think most DSLR owners complain about this occasionally. A friend buying his first DSLR said on trying his Dad's out that he left it in the car as it was just too much to lug about. I tried to get him to try a high end compact before buying a DSLR.

I bought a Canon S95 three years ago and have carried it when I haven't got the K-5. There are loads of higher end compacts now that can bridge the gap.
I'll be in the market for the next pocket compact camera as when I compared the jpeg output of the S95 my brothers canon Point and shoot was very close in quality and 1/3rd of he price. However neither come close to the K-5.

I bumped into a Nikon D7100 user the other day and that didn't look any easier to carry than a K-5 with a DA35 f2.4 on the front.

I have on occasion just taken the K-5 out of the bag, put one lens on it and one in my coat pocket and it is quite liberating. The battery is good for 700 shots and the 32GB memory card holds plenty for the day.

I feel naked/unprepared without the K-5 in the car. Having the S95 doesn't completely remove the feeling.

I would not mind one of these bridge cameras, as I have always found them very useful at times. I have two, the tiny first Generation Fuji S5000, which has a 1.8" screen and a mere 1/1.25" sensor. Downsides is that it only does ISO200, ISO400 and ISO800 at 1MP.
Then there is my Fuji S6500fd. It is the same size as my *istDS and has the same pixel count, ie 6MP. Sensor size is 1/1.7", so what you call "pro" spec for a compact.

They both have one massive advantage over the XG-1 and indeed the X-5, and that they both shoot RAW.

Even now I don't understand why RAW is not included on these modern cameras, unless you spend megabucks on say Fuji XS-1, Sony RX10 and the new Pano FZ1000?

I can imagine that the X-5 would have been a beauty IF it had RAW. But it seems that this feature does not matter at all on most bridge cameras, and it is a shame.

I just got a G16 (for underwater photography) and from time to time I carry it with me - have to say - I don't like shooting with such small cameras. You mainly use the display, you have nothing in your hand to really grap and balance - it is more the snapshop-stlye of taking photos, while, when I am holding my D7100 and look through the view finder, I so much more focus on the picture I want to take. The extra weight helps me to hold the camera steadily and you should not underestimate, how much more people respect that you want to take a proper picture and step aside, when you have a decent DSLR mounted on a tripod. I also don't like the weight but I prefer to carry it around instead of only using little cameras

Forum Permissions - You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forumYou cannot attach files in this forumYou cannot download files in this forum